Champagne was toast of the town's cocker spaniel fans

It was a birthday worthy of mention in the local newspaper. On May 30, 1953, Charlottesville resident Champagne Rhoad turned 112 — in dog years, that is.

The American cocker spaniel belonging to Mrs. H.H. Rhoad actually had turned 16 in human years.

Champagne initially got the attention of The Daily Progress because of his longevity.

Then the reporter quickly discovered it wasn’t just age that made this pooch newsworthy.

Before Champagne and his owner settled into the house on Monte Vista Avenue, they had been avid travelers. Mrs. Rhoad’s husband had been a military officer, so there was plenty of moving from post to post.

The threesome also had watched many sunrises and sunsets together aboard ships, which twice carried them from New York to San Francisco.

A well-stamped puppy passport

According to his master, Champagne was a “sea-loving dog,” which is not unusual considering the long and colorful maritime history that canines enjoy.

For example, the teacup Chihuahua was a favorite companion of sea travelers in the late 1800s. A feature that made them particularly desirable shipmates was their diminutive size, which enabled them to chase rats out of the smallest places.

The Chesapeake Bay retriever can trace its lineage back to 1807 and the sinking of the English ship Canton off the coast of Maryland in a gale. Everyone on board was rescued, including two Newfoundland puppies.

The male pup was named Sailor; the female, Canton. When they reached maturity they were bred with local retrievers, and in 1878 the Chesapeake Bay retriever was recognized by the American Kennel Club as a breed unto itself.

Like Champagne, Chessies are members of the sporting group and are renowned for their ability to retrieve waterfowl under the most challenging conditions. The AKC describes the water-loving retrievers as bright and happy, and the cockers as gentle and intelligent.

The kennel club advanced no official opinion on the love-of-travel trait that Champagne definitely manifested. In addition to traveling to and from Hawaii on a ship, he also had visited 42 states via automobile.

A blue bloodline

The reporter’s ears likely perked up when he learned that Champagne was a grandson of the famous Red Brucie, who sired 36 champions. Many dog breeders during Red Brucie’s reign in the 1920s considered him the father of the modern cocker spaniel.

Perhaps the most renowned offspring of Red Brucie was My Own Brucie. The latter pulled off the astounding feat of winning best in show at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show in 1940 and 1941.

During the 1940 event the judge, Dr. Samuel Milbank, said of the winner; “He was in the most beautiful bloom, he is a real champion.” When My Own Brucie died on June 9, 1943, his obituary was carried on the front pages of the New York Times and New York Evening Sun.

The Montreal Gazette also ran a piece on the dog’s passing, calling him the most photographed dog in the world.

Champagne took his turn in the show ring when he was very young, but then concentrated on his travels.

Life expectancy of an American cocker spaniel is 10 to 11 years, so obviously Champagne was living right. On the day the reporter dropped by to see the birthday dog, he was playing with his favorite pink ball with the enthusiasm of a puppy.

The beautiful little cocker spaniel had apparently gained wisdom with age.

He knew that it’s not so much the number of years of life one gets, but the life one puts into those years that truly counts.